Helen Mirren, Russell Crowe, Scott Eastwood Set for Italy’s Taormina Film Festival That Unveils Lineup Mixing Crowdpleasers, More Esoteric Movies

Helen Mirren, Russell Crowe, Scott Eastwood, and Gore Verbinsky are among top talents set to attend Italy’s upcoming Taormina Film Festival that has unveiled the lineup for its upcoming 72nd edition that will mix crowdpleasers with more esoteric quality fare.

Crowe, as previously announced, is expected to make the treck to the storied fest in the Sicilian resort –known to U.S. audiences as the location of “The White Lotus” Season 2 – for the world premiere of Australian action thriller “Bear Country” in which he reunites with “Unhinged” helmer Derrick Borte to play a veteran club owner whose plans for a peaceful retirement with his girlfriend are derailed when a masked assailant robs his establishment. “Bear Country” will bow as a special event in Taormina’s ancient Greek theatre in the shadow of Sicily’s active Mt. Etna volcano with most of the the key cast, including “Breaking Bad” star Aaron Paul, in tow.

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Verbinsky, probably best known for the first three “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies is coming to Taormina with his offbeat sci-fi comedy “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” that is screening in competition.

Other Taormina competition titles comprise Ashley Walters-directed coming-of-age drama “Animol” set in a British juvenile detention; Turkish director Banu Sıvacı’s intimate relationship drama “Hear the Yellow”; dissident Iranian filmmaker Mahnaz Mohammadi potent drama “Roya” about an Iranian teacher detained in Tehran’s Evin prison; Michael Gallagher’s “The Leader” starring Tim Blake Nelson and Vera Farmiga in the true story of the cult known as Heaven’s Gate that convinced dozens to abandon their lives and await evacuation from planet Earth.

Rounding out the competition are Congolese Filmmaker Rafiki Fariala’s Cannes standout “Congo Boy”; Japanese filmmaker Taro Miyaoka’s horror film “Erica”; debuting German director Ben Voit’s “Gropiusstadt Supernova” set during a frantic New Year’s Eve in Berlin; Italian director Guido Chiesa’s Rome-set “Little Miracle”; and Cuban docudrama “La Calle Pura” about a teenager who dreams of becoming Cuba’s next Reggaeton star.

As previously announced, Jane Campion is presiding over the Taormina fest jury and Helen Mirren will receive a lifetime achievement award. Scott Eastwood will hold a masterclass for students and also pick up an award.

Having a jury headed by Campion — who is a two-time Academy Award winner for ”The Piano” (1993) and “The Power of the Dog “(2021), and the first woman in history to win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival — will help boost the international standing of the Sicilian event that is being revamped by marketing guru and festivals specialist Tiziana Rocca.

The high-caliber jury panel also comprises Holly Hunter, costume designer Miyako Bellizzi, casting director Francine Maisler, breakout director Akinola Davies Jr. (“My Father’s Shadow”), Amazon MGM Studios’ head of global marketing Sue Kroll, and Italian actor/director Pietro Castellitto.

Rocca, who has close Hollywood ties, has been back at the Taormina helm since 2025, eight years after she was forced to step down due to political infighting in 2017 following a five-year stint. Rocca’s first move last year was to reintroduce a competitive section comprising 10 titles. 

This year Rocca has introduced a Short Film Competition section comprising eleven works connected to Sicily through their stories and themes.

The Taormina opener will be the Italian premiere of the first episode of HBO’s “House of the Dragon” Season 3 with stars Steve Toussaint (Lord Corlys Velaryon), Harry Collett (Jacaerys Velaryon), Bethany Antonia (Baela Targaryen) and Phoebe Campbell (Rhaena Targaryen) set to attend the show’s spectacular Taormina Greek amphitheater launch.

Out of competition entries comprise episodes 1 and 6 of Canadian filmmaker Michael Zelniker’s global water crisis documentary series “The Struggle for Mother Water”; Renny Harlin-directed disaster movie “Deep Water”; Tommy Dorfman’s young adult drama “I Wish You All the Best,” about a teen coming out as nonbinary; and Bill Condon-directed musical “Kiss of the Spider Woman.”

Special events will include a Greek Theatre screening of the restored copy of Luchino Visconti neo-realist classic “Bellissima” marking the 75th anniversary of the film’s release and Anna Magnani’s prize-winning performance as a working-class mother determined to get her young daughter a movie deal.

Oscar-winning Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore, who is Sicilian, will be honored in Taormina with the upcowith the Golden Globes Prize for Documentary in partnership with Artemis Rising Foundation for his docufilm “Brunello: The Gracious Visionary” about Brunello Cucinelli, the fashion designer known as Italy’s “King of Cashmere.”

The 72nd edition of Taormina will run June 10-14.